1
Short title [see Note 1]
1 Short title [see Note 1]
This Act may be cited as the Offshore Minerals (Works Licence Fees) Act 1981.
//
© 2026 Zoe. All rights reserved.
Zoe is a legal information platform. Always consult the Federal Register of Legislation for authoritative text.
Commonwealth act
This Act requires holders of offshore minerals works licences to pay an annual, area‑based fee to the Designated Authority, charged per hectare (or part) of the licensed works area and capped at $100 per hectare. It makes the licence holder liable (jointly and severally if there are multiple holders), sets the payment timing and a daily late‑payment charge, treats unpaid amounts as debts recoverable by the Commonwealth, and leaves detailed rates and administrative rules to regulations.
Want the full deep dive?
Zoe can write the in-depth analysis on top of the summary above: how it works, who it affects and what each part actually does.
Direct links to the current provisions in Offshore Minerals (Works Licence Fees) Act 1981.
This Act may be cited as the Offshore Minerals (Works Licence Fees) Act 1981.
This Act shall come into operation on the day on which the Minerals (Submerged Lands) Act 1981 comes into operation.
(1) In this Act:
year, in relation to the term of a works licence, means:
(a) the period of 12 months commencing on (and including) the day on which the provisional grant of the licence is properly accepted; or
(b) a period of 12 months commencing on (and including) an anniversary of that day; or
(c) a period of less than 12 months that:
(i) commences on (and includes):
(A) the day on which the provisional grant of the licence is properly accepted; or
(B) an anniversary of that day; and
(ii) ends at the end of the term of the licence.
(2) Expressions used in this Act that are used in the Offshore Minerals Act 1994 have, unless the contrary intention appears, the same meaning as they have in that Act.
(1) A works licence holder must pay to the Designated Authority, in respect of each year of the term of the licence, a fee calculated at the rate prescribed by the regulations for each hectare or part of a hectare of the works area. (2) The works area for a works licence is the area specified in the licence under paragraph 278(1)(c) of the Offshore Minerals Act 1994. (3) Subject to subsection (4), the amount of the fee is to be calculated at the prescribed rate for each hectare or part of a hectare of the licence area. (4) The prescribed rate is not to exceed $100 per hectare or part of a hectare.
(1) The licence holder is liable to pay the fee. (2) If the licence has 2 or more holders, the holders are jointly and severally liable to pay the fee.
The fee for a year becomes payable one month after the day on which the year begins.
Where the liability of the holder of a works licence to pay a fee referred to in section 4 is not discharged at or before the time when the fee is payable, there is payable to the Designated Authority by the holder an additional amount calculated at the rate of one‑third of 1% per day upon the amount of the fee from time to time remaining unpaid, to be computed from the time when the fee became payable until it is paid.
(1) A fee under section 4, and an amount payable under section 5, are debts due by the holder of a works licence to the Commonwealth and are recoverable in a court of competent jurisdiction. (2) Fees and other amounts referred to in subsection (1) received by the Designated Authority shall be deemed to be received by the Designated Authority on behalf of the Commonwealth.
The Governor‑General may make regulations prescribing matters: (a) required or permitted by this Act to be prescribed; or (b) necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or giving effect to this Act.
Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation (legislation.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.
This Act may be cited as the Offshore Minerals (Works Licence Fees) Act 1981.
This Act shall come into operation on the day on which the Minerals (Submerged Lands) Act 1981 comes into operation.
(1) In this Act:
year, in relation to the term of a works licence, means:
(a) the period of 12 months commencing on (and including) the day on which the provisional grant of the licence is properly accepted; or
(b) a period of 12 months commencing on (and including) an anniversary of that day; or
(c) a period of less than 12 months that:
(i) commences on (and includes):
(A) the day on which the provisional grant of the licence is properly accepted; or
(B) an anniversary of that day; and
(ii) ends at the end of the term of the licence.
(2) Expressions used in this Act that are used in the Offshore Minerals Act 1994 have, unless the contrary intention appears, the same meaning as they have in that Act.
(1) A works licence holder must pay to the Designated Authority, in respect of each year of the term of the licence, a fee calculated at the rate prescribed by the regulations for each hectare or part of a hectare of the works area. (2) The works area for a works licence is the area specified in the licence under paragraph 278(1)(c) of the Offshore Minerals Act 1994. (3) Subject to subsection (4), the amount of the fee is to be calculated at the prescribed rate for each hectare or part of a hectare of the licence area. (4) The prescribed rate is not to exceed $100 per hectare or part of a hectare.
(1) The licence holder is liable to pay the fee. (2) If the licence has 2 or more holders, the holders are jointly and severally liable to pay the fee.
The fee for a year becomes payable one month after the day on which the year begins.
Where the liability of the holder of a works licence to pay a fee referred to in section 4 is not discharged at or before the time when the fee is payable, there is payable to the Designated Authority by the holder an additional amount calculated at the rate of one‑third of 1% per day upon the amount of the fee from time to time remaining unpaid, to be computed from the time when the fee became payable until it is paid.
(1) A fee under section 4, and an amount payable under section 5, are debts due by the holder of a works licence to the Commonwealth and are recoverable in a court of competent jurisdiction. (2) Fees and other amounts referred to in subsection (1) received by the Designated Authority shall be deemed to be received by the Designated Authority on behalf of the Commonwealth.
The Governor‑General may make regulations prescribing matters: (a) required or permitted by this Act to be prescribed; or (b) necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or giving effect to this Act.